


Father's Day

by TheGethhaveacrushonme



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Angst, Daddy Issues, Drabble, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-18 05:40:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9370607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGethhaveacrushonme/pseuds/TheGethhaveacrushonme
Summary: Father's Day is harder for some





	

Father’s Day. Jack knew the symptoms by now. Miranda was hell-bent on pretending that it didn’t matter a jot, but her smile was strained, a shadow lingering about her everything. Prone to snap at anyone for the smallest reason. Staring at nothing a lot.

Breaching the subject was not a good idea; Miranda would deny everything, then retreat even more. There wasn’t much Jack could do. Being a kinder, less abrasive version of herself just made Miranda mutter that she didn’t have to be handled with kid gloves. 

Nothing she could do at all.

And then Oriana called. She did that often enough, but Jack was apprehensive what that would do to Miranda’s mood this particular day.

Jack glanced at Ori’s holo sideways, pretending she wasn’t listening in. 

“Ori.” Miranda tried to do cheerful, but it just did come out right.

“Hey! It’s father’s day, and I…”

“Oh, is it?”

Jack’s lips twitched at that.

“It is, and you’re not convincing anyone, Randa." 

Miranda didn’t say anything to that.

"I was out with my dad today, and it was great, but I couldn’t stop thinking about you. That I wouldn’t have any of that without you. Gee, I had this entire speech planned, but I’ve forgotten half of what I wanted to say. I love you, okay? And I miss you, and you were more of a parent than *he* ever was, even if I don’t remember any of it. Happy big sister day. That’s it, that’s all I wanted to say.”

“I love you, too, Ori,” Miranda muttered, voice little more than a croak. “Thanks.”

“Say hi to Jack for me. Bye!”

“Bye.”

The holo vanished and Miranda let her head fall back, exhaling audibly.

“Jack?”

Jack stood up and walked over slowly, watched as Miranda turned to her, eyes brimming with tears.

“Dammit,” she muttered, but let herself be pulled close. “I know it’s unfair,” she whispered, her face pressed against Jack’s shoulder.

“What is?” Jack asked, confused.

“You, your parents. Your father. You don’t even know… I shouldn’t…”

“Seriously? That’s what this is about?” Jack kissed the top of her head and pulled her even closer. “They’re your fucking feelings, babe, you can’t compare them to anyone else’s experience. You have every right in the galaxy to be unhappy. Henry Lawson was a giant piece of shit.”

Miranda sniffled.

“I just hate crying.”

“I know.” Jack smiled a little, then maneuvered them over to the couch without letting go of her for too long. For a while Miranda just cried lowly against her shoulder, Jack stroking her hair and back, feeling just a little clumsy as she did so.

“I hate feeling like that little girl again, who couldn’t do anything right, no matter how hard she tried…”

“I know. But shit, look at what you did! You were so brave to rescue her. Brave to kill him. I’m so fucking proud of you!”

Miranda pressed her cheek against Jack’s, then took a deep breath.

“Thanks. Ugh, I’m a mess…”

“Your sister isn’t the only one who loves you, you know?”

Miranda pulled back, giving her a broad, if somewhat teary, smile.

“I know. And I love you, too.”

Jack bent forward for a long, lingering, slightly salty kiss.

“Want some wine?”

Miranda gave a sniffling chuckle.

“Yes, please.”


End file.
